1. Field
This disclosure relates to electrolysis and more particularly electrolyzer apparatuses for the electrolytic splitting of water into hydrogen and oxygen gases.
2. Description of Related Art
Hydrogen gas is a commodity chemical that is used in numerous manufacturing processes, such as petroleum refining, fertilizer production, glass manufacturing and many others. Hydrogen gas can also be used for storing intermittent renewable energy, such as wind electrical energy and solar electrical energy. Electrolytic hydrogen and oxygen can be produced using nuclear-energy generated electricity and transported in pipe lines to distances remote from the nuclear reactor.
One commercial process for hydrogen production is steam reforming from hydrocarbons. However, steam reforming may utilize non-renewable sources of energy. Carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide may be by-products of fossil fuel-based methods for hydrogen production. There is considerable interest in finding non-polluting methods for large scale production of hydrogen, such as the electrolysis of water.
Electrolysis of water is a route to the production of hydrogen gas. Moreover, gaseous oxygen may be produced as a byproduct which may be a useful and valuable industrial and medical product. Electricity that is generated by renewable energy sources, such as wind, hydroelectric, solar and nuclear energy, can be used for electrolytic production of hydrogen and oxygen without the carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide that accompanies hydrogen production from fossil fuels. References directed to electrolysis and hydrogen and oxygen production in hydraulic, hydrokinetic and submerged water environments include, for example: published U.S. patent application numbers 20130068629, 20120119503, 20100276933, 20100244450, 20100236939, 20100164229, 20100089766, 20090315330, 20090058091, 20080231055, 20070228736, 20070228739, 20050121917, 20050052031, 20020145288; and U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,872,363, 7,834,475, 7,420,287, 6,956,300, 6,930,402, 6,833,631, 6,759,757, 6,326,703, 4,490,232, 4,443,708, 4,437,963, 4,357,543, 4,178,517.